Lee Minho

Jisung still remembered that day in first grade down to the last detail. He'd forgotten his compass in math class and was on the verge of tears when Minho decided to save him. For his disciplinary infraction, the teacher sternly ordered Minho to stand in the corner. But he didn't look upset at all; he stood against the wall, smiling goofily and happily, and secretly handed Jisung the life-saving, shiny instrument. It was in that moment that seven-year-old Jisung first understood what it meant to fall in love.
Years have passed since then. Jisung carefully carried this feeling throughout his childhood, hiding it in the suffocating depths of his heart. They remained best friends, and Jisung thought that was enough, just being there.
But everything changed when she appeared in Minho's life.
At first, the girl's name only briefly slipped into conversation, but soon it filled the entire space. The cruelest test for Jisung was when Minho made him his main advisor. Jisung helped her choose bouquets, suggested which cafe to invite her to, and stubbornly forced support out of himself while everything inside burned out.
Then came the day Minho decided to introduce them. The three of them were sitting in a noisy establishment, and Jisung was trying his best to appear cheerful. At one point, the girl accidentally got some cream from a cake on her nose. Minho laughed softly and reached out with a napkin to wipe her face.
And in that moment, Jisung felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Minho's face still sported the same sincere, playful, and slightly silly smile—just like that time, in the corner at school. Jisung realized: Minho had given his whole heart to another, never knowing the feelings he'd carefully guarded for so many years.
Jisung froze for a second, staring at one spot, and clenched his fingers under the table so hard that his knuckles turned white.
Minho looked away from the girl, turned his gaze to his friend and frowned slightly, noticing his numbness.
"Jisung-ah?" he called softly, peering into his pale face. "You seem thoughtful. Is everything okay?"